The KellyGram

Wisdom and Wit About the Wonderful and Often Wacky World of Words

Published by Bob Kelly

Resident Wordsmith and Quotemeister

WordCrafters, Inc.

www.wordcrafters.info

Providing the Right Word for Speakers, Writers, Ministry Leaders, Business Executives and Just Plain Folks — since 1979!

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Volume 7 — Number 10 October 2009

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Welcome to Issue 82 of The KellyGram!

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Among the many word-related e-zines I receive is one titled Better Conversations Newsletter, published weekly by Loren Ekroth, Ph.D. Also known as "Dr. Conversation," he's a speaker, trainer and coach, and the founder of National Better Conversation Week. That event takes place in November, but we're jumping the gun a bit by featuring quotations about his favorite subject in this issue.

We're also going to introduce you to a couple of creative new words, one coined by Loren and the other by our friend and colleague Mardy Grothe, Ph.D.

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In This Issue:

Fun with Words
The Quote Corner (Conversation)
A New Word — A New Book!
Another New Word!
Smile Awhile
Odds and Ends
The Last Word

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FUN WITH WORDS

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Match the threesomes named in the left column with the clues in the right column:

	A. Athos, Porthos and Aramis		1. Had a ride in a wooden shoe.
	B. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego		2. Were "all for one and one for all."
	C. Huey, Dewey and Louie		3. Had a long ride in a big wooden boat.
	D. Julius, Leonard and Adolph		4. Took lots of heat but came out okay.
	E. Wynken, Blynken and Nod		5. Kin of Uncle Donald.
	F. Shem, Ham and Japheth		6. A brother act.

You'll find the correct answers elsewhere in this issue.

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THE QUOTE CORNER (Conversation)

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Conversation, n. A flair for the display of the minor mental commodities, each exhibitor being too intent upon the arrangement of his own wares to observe those of his neighbor.
Ambrose Bierce

A good conversationalist is not one who remembers what was said, but says what someone wants to remember.
John Mason Brown

Conversation is like a dance: You must know the steps and you must dance in step with your partner.
Loren Ekroth

Conversation is the handmaid of learning. It would be impossible to put too high a price on all we stand to lose by suffering its decay.
A. Whitney Griswold

The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.
William Hazlitt

To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.
François de La Rochefoucauld

Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of witnesses.
Margaret Millar

Beware of the conversationalist who adds "in other words." He is merely starting afresh.
Robert Morley

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
Dorothy Nevill

Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many of those who worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit or oratory.
Emily Post

Conversation is a game played with pruning shears in which each player cuts off his neighbor's voice as soon as it sprouts.
Jules Renard

There is no such thing as conversation. It is an illusion. There are interesting monologues, that is all.
Rebecca West

Only the Irish have remained incomparable conversationalists, maybe because technical
progress has passed them by.
Orson Welles

Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde

(Note: These quotations are from our collection of more than 420 published volumes of quotations and 1.5 million entries. If you're looking for quotes on virtually any subject, send us an email at bob@kellygram.com, or call us at 480-895-7617. Or, if you have a quote topic you'd like us to feature in an upcoming issue, email it to us and we'll get it on the schedule.)

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A NEW WORD — AND A NEW BOOK!

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Until recently (and except perhaps for a couple of obscure technical terms), there have been only two words in the English language that begin with the letters "if." In addition to "if" itself, there's its cousin, "Iffy." Now, my friend Mardy Grothe, a lIFelong quotation collector, has increased that number by 50 percent.

This new word is Ifferisms, the title of the fIFth volume of quotations he has compiled, but with a dIFference. Every one of the quotations he has selected for this book begins with the word IF.

BeautIFully dedicated to his wIFe, the book is divided into 18 chapters, covering virtually every aspect of lIFe and the world we live in. In his Introduction, Dr. Mardy writes: "I have come to believe that IF is the biggest little word in the English language." In the fIFteen hundred (or more) selections which follow, signIFicantly amplIFied in his always informative and entertaining style, he makes his point well.

IF you'll take my advice, you'll head for Amazon and swIFtly order your copy of Ifferisms, and perhaps several more for family and friends. You'll find it a gratIFying read, one that's sure to give your spirits a lIFt!

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ANOTHER NEW WORD

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In the most recent issue of his newsletter (September 23, 2009), Loren Ekroth wrote an article titled "Are You Provoquotive?" The article focuses on a subject near and dear to my heart — the use of quotations. In it, he cites several ways for quotations to be used effectively in speaking. "Quotations," he writes, "can lend spicy flavors to ordinary talk ... can add humor and levity ... and can add authority to your words."

He also warns against the overuse of quotations, lest one appears to be simply showing off. "As I see it," he says, "the purpose of using quotations is to enrich the conversation, not to elevate the speaker." In other words, it's to be provoquotive! Good word, Loren.

To subscribe to Loren's newsletter, email him at Loren@conversationmatters.com.

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SMILE AWHILE

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Just In! New Government Program Planned

Democrats, realizing the success of the President's "Cash For Clunkers" rebate program, have revamped a major portion of their National Health Care Plan. President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Reid are expected to make this major announcement at a joint news conference next week. I've obtained an advance copy of the proposal, which is named: "CASH FOR CODGERS" and it works like this: Couples wishing to access health care funds in order to pay for the delivery of a child will be required to turn in one old person. The amount the government grants them will be fixed according to a sliding scale. Older and more prescription dependent codgers will garner the highest amounts.

Special "bonuses" will be paid for those submitting codgers in targeted groups, such as smokers, alcohol drinkers, persons 10 pounds over their government prescribed weight, and any member of the Republican Party.
Smaller bonuses will be given for codgers who consume beef, soda, fried foods, potato chips, lattes, whole milk, dairy products, bacon, Brussels sprouts, or Girl Scout Cookies.
All codgers will be rendered totally useless via toxic injection. This will ensure that they are not secretly resold or their body parts harvested to keep other codgers in repair.

Remember you heard it here first!

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ODDS AND ENDS

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Back Issues:

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FUN WITH WORDS

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Here are the answers to this month's puzzle:

	A. Athos, Porthos and Aramis		2. The Three Musketeers
	B. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego		4. Daniel's friends, survived fiery furnace
	C. Huey, Dewey and Louie		5. Donald Duck's nephews
	D. Julius, Leonard and Adolph		6. The Marx Brothers
	E. Wynken, Blynken and Nod		1. Nursery rhyme by Eugene Field
	F. Shem, Ham and Japheth		3. The sons of Noah

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THE LAST WORD

"Conversation must have been difficult at times for Adam and Eve — they had nobody to talk about."
(Agnes Repplier)

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